Tag: Eggplant

My biggest child (i.e. the grown man child) is always my pickiest eater. There are so many things that he doesn’t like, thinks he doesn’t like or thinks it sounds like something he might not like. He has become better over the years but there are many things that he still isn’t willing to eat. I am always conjuring ideas to use everything in my basket – even the things we don’t like. We have been contributing to Bountiful Baskets since 2011 so there have been a lot of experiments, some failures and a lot of successes. Continue reading “Stuffed Eggplant”

I wanted to use my Italian pack items and my beefsteak tomatoes but I also needed a quick, easy dinner while life is so busy! I felt like challenging myself today cause lets face it…Life has been busy and I have let my kitchen inspirations fall to the waste side lately. I was hoping my instincts hadn’t left me when I started this meal out. We can let you be the judge of it 😉 Continue reading “Italian Pack Pasta”

Here’s a fun festive little dish I use when cleaning out my fridge after Bountiful Baskets. It’s just two of us, so I don’t necessarily go through as much of the food as we should as quickly as we should. I love how pretty this is sitting on the table…. and even more than that I love how it looks like a rainbow when I take it to work for lunch all chilled and cool the next morning. Continue reading “Ratatouille”

In planning a menu for a Games Night the idea of tapas came to mind. This reminded me of a recipe in the August 2013 Better Homes and Gardens August for Lemony Ricotta Summer Squash Galette. Not only was it easy, it used ingredients already on hand! I also knew I could easily change a few ingredients and use up even MORE!Continue reading “Savory Galettes”

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” ~Herbert Spencer

This recipe was my introduction to eggplant. Eggplant was one of those things with an odd name, that I was not willing to try. I remember the first time I saw it in my weekly basket, I looked at it and thought “what do I do with that!?”

Eggplant and Pasta Incaciata is a traditional Italian dish that can be as varied as homemade tomato sauce. Some variations will contain chicken livers, some will have ricotta cheese, some use bread crumbs and some will use different pasta. The trick is to make it your own!

2 med.-lg. eggplant (or 1 med. eggplant and 2 Chinese eggplant)

1cp extra virgin olive oil

1 box penne pasta

2lb. Italian sausage

**16ozs. tomato sauce

1/2 grated Romano cheese

1 1/2cps. shredded mozzarella cheese

**(I used homemade tomato sauce that I had previously canned so it already contained garlic and herbs. If you are using plain tomato sauce be sure to add garlic, basil, oregano, sea salt, and cracked pepper to taste.)

Boil pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat saute’ pan or grill to med. high heat. Thinly slice eggplant (vertically). Brush each side with olive oil. Saute or grill both sides until slightly limp. Set aside.

Brown sausage over med. high heat until cooked throughout, set aside.

Lightly oil the sides and bottoms of a springform pan. Layer bottom and sides of pan with eggplant allowing pieces to hang over the sides.

In a bowl combine pasta, meat, Romano cheese, and tomato sauce.

Pour pasta mixture into the eggplant lined pan and smooth. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of pasta and cover with eggplant pieces that are hanging over the rim.

Cover with plastic wrap and place a plate or pie pan on top to weigh it down. Place in refrigerator to rest several hours or overnight.

Mince Thyme and Rosemary very finely and add only a small amount of rosemary and a bit more thyme.

Simmer until the garlic gets a bit of color.

Remove from heat

You may strain out garlic and herbs or leave them.

Add chopped basil and wilt it.

Slice Zucchini, Eggplant, Peppers into large enough chunks that they don't fall into the grill (think lengthwise!)

Half the tomatoes and seed them.

Coat everything in the Marinade.

Reserve the rest of the marinade.

Grill until tender. Keep it flipping to avoid too much char.

Spoon all the "goodies" (garlic and herbs) out of the marinade onto the finished platter of veggies.

Drizzle a bit of balsamic over.

Grind some fresh pepper on top.

Serve over Pasta, or alongside meat. (The Marinade will do great on steaks but don't use it for anything after the meat so maybe just make a bit more! Soak it then rub a bit of ground thyme on the meat then grill!)